“Very likely, but what do you expect when you won’t tell anyone anything about yourself? Like I said, is Lani even your real name? All I know is you are fanatical about peanut butter, you decorate cakes like a star, and collect stray animals.”
He saw the fear again as she clutched the bag to her chest.
“Lani, you have to know I’d never hurt you.” Noah reached for her arm. Why did he always seem to be attacking this woman?
“He’s going to be okay,” Jake interrupted him. “But I need to get him home to Branna. Mikey needs to be warm and with people until he comes out of this. I can keep an eye on him during the night there.”
Dragging his eyes from Lani, Noah looked at Jake.
“Can you come with me, hold him to my place, then I’ll drop you back, Noah?”
“Of course.”
Lani exhaled, which told him she was relieved about something, possibly because he was leaving. But he would be back, and this time he was getting some answers.
“See you tomorrow at the Potato Festival, Lani,” Jake said as they left the shop. “And thank you for looking after Mikey.’
“Sure. No worries.”
“I’ll come back soon,” Noah said as he climbed in behind Mikey to the rear seat. “I take my coffee with cream and sugar.”
She didn’t comment on that, just closed the door, and, he suspected, locked it. But he’d be back and hammering on that door until she opened it.
“You’ll be better tomorrow, Mikey,” Noah said to the shaking boy in his arms.
He talked, Jake drove, and they pulled up to the McBride home minutes later. Jake carried the boy inside. Branna met them at the door.
“Is he okay? Mikey.” She pushed the hair from his head, then leaned down to kiss his cheek. “You’re going to be all right now.” She looked at Jake, and he nodded.
“He needs to get into a shower, and then bed. We’ll take it from there and see how he goes. But we’ll have to watch him through the night. I’ll take the first shift when I get back from dropping Noah.”
“I’ll walk.”
“No, I’ll drive you,” Jake said. “Just give me a minute.”
Noah did as he was told, as clearly Dr. McBride junior wanted to talk to him. Likely about Mikey.
Who was testing the drugs in that bag for Lani?
“Right, let’s get you back to town.” Jake appeared and followed Noah outside. “So, you and Lani?” he said when they were in his car.
“There is no me and Lani.”
“Then why were you in the Howlery?”
“Dropping off something.”
“Sure you were. Okay, I’ll leave that for now, but from where I’m sitting, which incidentally is right next to you, there is definitely a you and Lani.”
Jake was deliberately driving slower than a snail back into town.
“I don’t know anything about her.” Noah went for honesty. “She’s shut up tighter than Militant Lawrence’s liquor cabinet. What’s her deal, Jake? Her history?”
“I don’t know; no one seems to.”
“Do you think she could be on the run? It’s what I and a few others think.”
“It crossed my mind. The appearance, the belongings in the car. It kind of adds up.”
